Roundup: Battles intensify in rugged Syrian region near Lebanon

The battles in a Syrian mountainous range near the Lebanese borders are intensifying amid a progress made by the Syrian government troops and the Lebanese Hezbollah group, a source familiar with the situation told Xinhua on Monday.

The Syrian troops and Hezbollah are advancing steadily in the battles in Qalamoun mountain range, in the northern countryside of the capital Damascus and along the borderline with Lebanon, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The Syrian forces have fully seized the Assal al-Ward town in Qalamoun earlier this week, and are currently completing their control of the barrens of the Jubbeh town in that rugged region, following intense battles against the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front and likeminded militants.

The troops are now eyeing the town of Ma'ara, as clashes raged Monday evening at al-Maruh Hilltop in the barrens of the town. If taken, it would allow the army units to overlook the entire barrens along with most of the border points with Lebanon, the source added.

A rebel commander was wounded during the Monday battles, as the army units and Hezbollah stormed one of the rebels' training camps in Masara area, said the source, adding that Hezbollah carried out a precise operation against a rebel command center in Qalamoun based on intelligence info.

Qalamoun region is important for the Syrian army due to its strategic location as it connects the capital Damascus and the southern region in Syria with the coast and the northern provinces.

The source said the clashes in Qalamoun have not affected the international road connecting Damascus with the central and northern provinces, adding that the road is about 100 km away from the raging battles.

The extremist groups were bracing to unleash a wide-scale offensive against the positions of Hezbollah and the Syrian troops in Qalamoun last week, prompting the Syrian side to launch a pre-emptive offensive to paralyze the capabilities of the militant groups before making any threatening moves that could pose a threat to the capital and the positions of Hezbollah.

The government troops' push also coincided with another counter offensive they started to recapture key areas in the northwestern province of Idlib, where large swathes of territories fell to the Nusra Front late last month.

Meanwhile, the state news agency SANA said the Syrian army recaptured on Monday the Khurbeh border point, the main conduit the rebels were using to smuggle arms and fighters from Lebanon into Syria.

Tens of "terrorists" were killed as a result of the military offensive Monday, SANA added.

Other reports said the battles in Qalamoun are expected to keep gaining momentum.

The pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said that the barrens of the Lebanese border town of Ersal are expected to be the last resort of the militants fighting on the Syrian side of Qalamoun.

Citing sources in Hezbollah, the TV said the military operations in Qalamoun are not easy, adding that the battles there will take time before yielding their fruits.

Winning the Qalamoun battle is important for the Syrian troops, because it would enable them to completely secure most of the borderline with Lebanon. Endit